Buddy careened around the corner, tires squealing, and pulled into his driveway, where a very sheepish Natalie and a worried-looking Lucy stood on the porch while a flashy sports car idled in the driveway. He leapt out of his car, his attention laser-focused on the two people on the porch.
“If you will just let me explain before going all Alpha Dad on me,” Natalie began, but Buddy ignored her and swept Lucy up into a tight hug.
“Lucy, oh, I am so glad to see you,” Buddy said, squeezing Lucy so tight she squeaked.
“Daddy, you’re squishing me.” Lucy giggled, and Buddy exhaled all the stress that had been building ever since she didn’t answer her phone. “I’m a little bit hungry. Can I have a snack?”
“Sure, sweet pea. Go on into the kitchen, and I’ll be in, in a moment.” Buddy unlocked the door, and Lucy skipped into the house. He was relieved to see that she didn’t seem to be upset at all.
“Buddy . . . ,” Natalie tried to begin again.
“No. I’m not talking to you right now. I am going inside and making Lucy’s dinner, and then we’re going to relax. After she goes to bed, I’ll call you.”
“But . . . ,” Natalie started again, but Buddy didn’t want to hear a word from the woman he once imagined spending his life with.
“No.” He swallowed down his anger. “Get into your toothy friend’s car, and get out of my sight. I’ll talk to you around nine.” Buddy glared at Natalie and then went inside his home to prepare his daughter’s dinner and, hopefully, gain some insight as to what had happened that afternoon.
*****
Buddy sank down onto the couch with a glass of iced tea and began to process what Lucy had told him, and tried to get to a state where he could listen to Natalie without losing his mind. Lucy told him they’d gone to lunch and then had an afternoon of girly pampering. Of course, in true Natalie form, she’d forgotten to fill the car up with gas and to charge her cell phone, so Natalie’s friend Skip had picked them up and brought them to Buddy’s. The most inappropriate thing that happened was that Lucy didn’t have a booster seat to sit in during the ride in Skip’s car.
“Just a seat belt, Daddy, and it didn’t even go over my shoulder,” Lucy had said. He’d had to hide his smile at her disapproving tone, but that smile turned into a lump in his throat. Thank God nothing had happened to her and that this little stunt was merely Natalie being impulsive and thoughtless.
The living room clock sounded nine times, and Buddy picked up the phone and called Natalie.
“Buddy, I can explain,” Natalie said as soon as she picked up, without waiting for Buddy to say a word.
“What the actual fuck is going on, Natalie?” Any hope of civility disappeared as soon as he opened his mouth. “ ‘Appointment,’ my ass. Why are you pulling Lucy out of school in the middle of the day?”
“I wanted to spend some time with her be—”
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have canceled on her this weekend. You don’t get that it’s really hard on her to have to constantly adjust her schedule.” Buddy jumped up and paced around the living room, trying to get his emotions under control. “ ‘Wanted to spend some time with her.’ That is friggin’ rich, Natalie. Where have you been for the past five years, huh?” All the bile and frustration he had toward the woman came bubbling out. “You know, my mother is a fucking addict, but she managed to get her act together for birthdays and important events. You’ve been with her once for her birthday, Natalie, once. Pathetic.”
Natalie was so quiet that Buddy thought she’d hung up on him, until she said in a quiet voice, “Well, you’re probably not going to like what I’m going to tell you, then.”
“You’re leaving, aren’t you? Just when Lucy’s getting used to being around you, you’re leaving.”
Buddy heard her suck in a breath, and then she told him that she’d gotten her own series, highlighting the adventures of an up-and-coming American actress while she filmed a movie in London.
“I’ll only be gone for three months or so. After that, I’ll be back.” She paused. “Be happy for me, Buddy. This will be good for all of us.”
Buddy sighed. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow morning. That’s why I pulled her out of school this afternoon.”
“Did you tell her?”
“Um, kind of.”
“So you didn’t.” Buddy’s anger returned, but it was tempered with disappointment. “Dammit, Natalie. You’re her mother—”
“Maybe in name.” Natalie laughed, but it was the saddest sound Buddy had ever heard. “I have to get to the airport at five, and I haven’t packed a thing. I’ll call you when I get settled, give you the address and whatnot of where I’ll be staying. We can do video chat or something.”
“Okay.” What else was there to say?
“Well then, that settles it. I’ll be in touch soon.”
“Sure,” he murmured. “Good luck with your endeavors. And I mean that, Nat. I truly do.”
“I know you do, Buddy. You’re a nice guy, but I was never good enough for you, and I’m certainly not good enough for Lucy.” He listened to her breathe on the other end of the line. “Don’t waste your life, Buddy. I know Lucy’s your first priority, but you need to take care of yourself, too.”
Buddy chuckled. “Someone else told me that same thing not too long ago.”
“That someone’s smart. Have a nice life, Buddy Thomas. I’ll talk to you and Lucy later in the week.”
“Sure. Talk to you soon.”
She hung up, and Buddy wondered if she’d ever actually call. He spent the rest of the evening formulating how to break it to Lucy that her mother was off on another continent for who knew how long, and pondering both Colin’s and Natalie’s words. They’d essentially told him the same thing, and if two such different people had the same message for him, well, he thought should pay attention and listen to them.